Transcript For all houses, here are some general guidelines: 1

Our Bronze Award:
Bluebird Houses
By: Amber Nush, Corinne Blackburn
Kirsten Sidebottom
This is when we were at the library figuring out the
measurements for the bluebird houses.
Now we are picking up the wood at Hobart Lumber.
Whoops! Dropped a piece!
Oh Yeah! Muscle
Women!
Now we are taking the wood to Corinne’s house.
Now we are measuring the wood.
Provide a hinged side or roof so
you can easily clean the house
each spring early March is a
good time. Use rust-proof hinges
to make this task easier. Keep in
mind that raccoons can open a
hook and eye!
After cutting all the
pieces, then we had to
figure out what went
where!
If bluebirds have been seen in your area, try
putting up a bluebird house to attract them.
Although houses are mainly used in the spring,
autumn is a wonderful time to build the houses
since bluebirds are early nesters, sometimes
beginning as early as February. Also in very cold
winter weather, houses will be used to shield
these birds from the bitter cold winds and for
them to roost together, sharing body heat to
keep warm.
Bluebirds are cavity dwellers that use existing
holes in trees, sometimes made by woodpeckers
or other birds. Forested habitats have been
destroyed in recent years, leaving the bluebirds
with no where to nest. The decline in the
population of these gentle beautiful birds caused
alarm in many people. Bluebird houses,
replacing the natural or woodpecker holes, have
been built and erected throughout the continent.
Bluebirds have happily adopted these new
homes, many of which are along "bluebird trails,"
on golf courses and wildlife areas. The numbers
of bluebirds being reported are once again on
the increase.
Always face the house so that it looks out
onto open areas - it seems that bluebirds
love it this way. If you are putting up more
than one house, space them apart about
100 feet. Be sure to monitor your house,
checking inside on a regular basis to make
sure that House Sparrows or other birds
have not moved in.
Symbols of Love, hope and good fortune,
bluebirds are excellent birds to attract to
your garden. They are beautiful songbirds
and are also beneficial to gardens
because they dine on many insects that
are destructive to flowers and vegetables.
• Bluebirds prefer houses that are placed on
poles, protected from squirrels, or in trees
that grow on the edge of a clearing.
Though bluebirds can be difficult to entice,
once you have won them over, they will
thrive and add a new dimension to your
garden.
Allow about one acre of property for each
bluebird house. Install the house in early
spring before the birds have arrived for
summer. After the birds leave in the fall,
clean out (wearing gloves) and nesting
material, dirt, or broken eggs.
Most houses should be attached to a post,
building or tree. Bluebird boxes should not
be placed on trees because of cats and
raccoons.
• Drill at least four ¼-inch drain holes in the
bottom of every house, and two 5/8-inch
ventilation holes near the top of each side
of the house.
Provide a roof with at least a two-inch
overhang on the front to protect the
entrance hole from wind-driven rain, and
to prevent cats from reaching in from
above
The sides of the house should enclose the
floor to keep rain from seeping into the
house and nest. Recess the floor ¼ inch
up from the bottom to further prevent
rotting caused by moisture.
Other animals may take up residence in
your boxes, including mice, squirrels, bees
and wasps. If unwanted, remove them (be
very careful not to get stung!), otherwise
put up a few extra boxes to make room for
both the expected and unexpected
tenants.
Don’t put perches on any bird house. (Take
them off houses that you purchase.) The
only birds that prefer them are starlings
and house sparrows.
Do not use tin cans, milk cartons or metal for
nest boxes. They can overheat and kill the
eggs and young birds.
Wood is the best material to use. Avoid
pressure-treated lumber because when it
gets wet it can give off vapors that are
poisonous to birds. Preservatives, such as
paint or stain, can be used on the outside of
the box, especially the back, but not on the
inside. Avoid using creosote as a preservative.
Space next boxes at least 25 feet apart (300
feet for bluebird houses) to reduce
conflicts. Most birds are territorial and
protect the area around their nest.